Method, system and device for providing information to an smt system operator

ABSTRACT

A method and a system for providing operator information in an Surface Mount Technology (SMT) system comprising an SMT information database, a SMT pick and place machine and an identity tag scanner, the method comprising: receiving a bin in said SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bin is adapted to comprise vertically oriented bin load units, wherein said bin load unit has an pallet identity tag attached to the bin load units upwards facing surface; starting SMT production on said SMT pick and place machine; scanning individual identity tags attached to bin load units comprising component tape reels to obtain bin load units IDs.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to handling of components in an SMTsystem, in particular providing information regarding an SMT job to anSMT system operator.

BACKGROUND

Surface Mount Technology is now the preferred method of automatedproduction of electronic printed circuit boards. Machines forpick-and-place mounting of components on a substrate, such as a PrintedCircuit Board (PCB), or a substrate for a System in Package (SiP)component are subject to different, often contradictory demands, such asmounting speed, mounting precision, size, prize, etc. The expression“pick and place” is understood by the person skilled in the art asdescribing the very mounting operation where a mounting head is moved toa component feeder area, where the mounting head picks one or morecomponents from one or more of the component feeders, and then is movedto a mounting area where the mounting head places the component orcomponents on the substrate.

Supplies of a certain type of component, e.g. a certain specified typeof capacitor, resistor, diode or IC are supplied on trays carrying onetype of component or on sticks or, as has become most common today, ontapes in reels with a series of pockets of appropriate depth in thetape, holding one component in each pocket. The reels have varyingwidths between 8 mm and 44 mm. A row of reels, each reel representing adifferent type of component, are placed in a bin which in turn is placedin a magazine and feed components into the pick-and-place machine as thenozzle arms rapidly pick components out of their pockets and place themon the board. Component manufacturers deliver the components in standardreels of pocket-tape with a thin cover tape closing the pockets. Thispocket cover tape must be removed by some method before the componentcan be picked out of its pocket.

Tape guides or feeders are used to feed the tape into the pick-and-placemachine as the components are picked out of the pockets. One such tapeguide or feeder is described in EP 1 381 265 B1, incorporated herein byreference. This type of component tape guide or feeder has no built-intape advancing mechanism. Rather, the tape guide or feeder is mountedfor use in the pick-and-place machine so that a feeding mechanism, e.g.a feeding wheel in the pick-and-place machine protrudes through the tapeguide or feeder into contact with the pre-threaded tape. Another type ofcomponent tape guide has a built-in tape advancing mechanism. The tapeguide or feeder is mounted for use in the pick-and-place machine so thatan in-feeder built-in feeding mechanism or tape advancing mechanismadvances the tape, e.g. a feeding wheel in the feeder into contact withthe pre-threaded tape.

Each tape guide or feeder has a specific identity in relation to thepick-and-place machine and in whatever sequential position the reel withits pre-threaded tape guide or feeder is placed in the machine, themounting machine robotics will properly find and pick-up the propercomponents from the tape pockets. A method of associating the identityof the tape guide or feeder used to the specifics of the components inthe tape threaded into the guide or feeder is described in EP 1 147 697B1, incorporated herein by reference.

Bins are in conventional systems used to house a row of reels in amagazine as the pick-and-place machine picks components out of thepockets of the pocket-tape. A bin has a predefined number of slotsadapted to receive reels. One such bin is shown in WO03024181 A1,incorporated herein by reference.

The accumulator device described in EP 1 92 8221, incorporated herein byreference, for electronic components, is suitable for being used inautomatic or semi-automatic stores for storing electronic components, inparticular reels or rolls of SMD (Surface Mount Device) components whichcomprises a container body, such as a tray, suitable for receiving oneor more reels of electronic components picked up from a store, with saiddevice comprising means, for the controlled movement along a verticalaxis of the plate or tray inside the container body, suitable forallowing the loading and the unloading of one or more reels ofelectronic components onto said tray.

Therefore, there is a need to improve handling of components in an SMTsystem, in particular providing information regarding an SMT job to anSMT system operator

SUMMARY

The invention relates to improved handling of components in an SMTsystem.

The invention relates to a method, system and device for providinginformation regarding an SMT job to an SMT system operator.

A purpose of the present invention is to improve feedback to an operatorregarding component tape reels inserted in an SMT pick and place machineperforming an SMT job without interrupting production.

The invention offers a solution by receiving a bin in said SMT pick andplace machine, wherein said bin is adapted to comprise verticallyoriented pallets, wherein said pallet has an pallet identity tagattached to the pallets upwards facing surface; starting SMT productionon said SMT pick and place machine; and scanning individual identitytags attached to pallets comprising component tape reels to obtainpallet IDs.

The invention offers yet a solution, wherein said bin comprises analphanumerical display and where display data relating to an SMT job isreceived is received and displayed on said alphanumerical display.

Essential aspects of the technology disclosed is that the tapes arepre-threaded into the proper tape guides or feeder and that eachcomponent tape reel is, is associated, by coding, suitably bar coding,with its tape guide or feeder, which in the continued processing will bethe for the pick and place machine the reel with the proper components.Association may be performed between Bin ID, Pallet ID, component tapereel ID and tape guide ID/SMT component feeder ID by storing the IDs ina data structure in an SMT information database.

It is envisioned in certain aspects of the technology disclosed that thecomponent tape reel an optionally the pre-threaded tape guide will becoded together in the SMT information database and stored as a bin loadunit in an automated SMD storage warehouse, either as a packet unit,comprised in a pallet and/or comprised in a bin or trolley. The bin ortrolley may be retrieved from the automated SMD storage warehouse andplaced into a magazine of the pick-and-place machine.

It is envisioned that, in certain aspects of the technology disclosed, aset of pallets is provided, wherein each pallet comprises a componenttape reel with and optionally a pre-threaded tape guide, are fitted intoa pallet bin and stored in an automated SMD storage warehouse. Thepallet bin may be retrieved from the automated SMD storage warehouse andplaced into a magazine of the pick-and-place machine.

Previously, the correct set of individual tape reels and feeders orpallets comprising tape reels and feeders as a unit, coded together, hadto be selected by the operator, who is setting up an SMT job, andinserted into its proper component feeding position in the magazine ofthe machine. In the case with individual tape reels and feeders, thecorrect tape guide (of some 20 different guides) had to be selected bythe operator, who is setting up an SMT job. In addition, the bar code ofthe delivered reel and the identity of the tape guide will have to belinked. Then he will have to thread in the component tape properly,before inserting the tape guide into its proper component feedingposition in the machine. All of these time-consuming and possiblyerror-prone steps are eliminated by the system and method according tothe technology disclosed, whereby pre-fitted bins, or trolleys, such ase.g. pallet bins comprising a suitable set of pallets comprisingcomponents for scheduled SMT jobs are retrieved from the automated SMDstorage warehouse. The pre-threading and associating component tape reelis by coding, suitably bar coding, with its tape guide or association inan SMT information database and placement into pallets is done bytrained storage personnel, which may load the entire SMD Tower with upto thousands of reels of component tapes with paired feeders asindividual pallets or as a part of a set of pallets in a pallet bin.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, a method is proposedfor providing operator information in an Surface Mount Technology (SMT)system comprising an SMT information database, a SMT pick and placemachine where SMT production have been started and an identity tagscanner, wherein SMT production at least comprises feeding componentsfrom a bin load unit to the SMY pick and place machine, the methodcomprising:

receiving a bin in said SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bin isadapted to comprise vertically oriented bin load units, wherein said binload unit has an bin load unit identity tag attached to the bin loadunit upwards facing surface

scanning individual identity tags attached to pallets comprisingcomponent tape reels to obtain pallet IDs.

In one or moreaspects of the technology disclosed, a method is proposedfor providing operator information in an Surface Mount Technology (SMT)system comprising an SMT information database, a SMT pick and placemachine and an identity tag scanner, the method comprising:

receiving a bin, or trolley, in said SMT pick and place machine, whereinsaid bin or trolley is adapted to comprise vertically oriented pallets,wherein said pallet has an pallet identity tag attached to the palletsupwards facing surface;

starting SMT production on said SMT pick and place machine; and

scanning individual identity tags attached to pallets comprisingcomponent tape reels to obtain pallet IDs.

In certain aspects of the technology disclosed, a method is proposed forproviding operator information in an Surface Mount Technology (SMT)system comprising an SMT information database and a SMT pick and placemachine where SMT production have been started, wherein started SMTproduction at least comprises feeding components from a bin load unit tothe SMT pick and place machine, the method comprising:

receiving a bin or trolley in said SMT pick and place machine, whereinsaid bin or trolley comprises an alphanumerical display controller unitand a alphanumerical display;

receiving display data relating to an SMT job via a network such as e.g.a communications network; and

presenting said display data on said alphanumerical display.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, a method is proposedfor providing operator information in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT)system comprising an SMT information database and a SMT pick and placemachine, the method comprising:

receiving a bin or trolley in said SMT pick and place machine, whereinsaid bin or trolley comprises an alphanumerical display controller unitand a display;

starting SMT production on said SMT pick and place machine;

receiving display data relating to an SMT job pushed down from aseparate system via a network such as e.g. a communications network;

presenting said display data on said alphanumerical display.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, said bin or trolleycomprises an alphanumerical display controller unit and a display fordisplaying data relating to an SMT job and is further holding aplurality of pallets placed in individual compartments of thebin/trolley, each of the paletts is adapted to hold or carry a componenttape reel.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, said bin or trolleycomprises an alphanumerical display controller unit and a display fordisplaying data relating to an SMT job and is further holding aplurality of component tape reels placed in individual compartments ofthe bin/trolley, wherein said plurality of component tape reel are notattached or contained in a palett.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, said bin or trolleycomprises an alphanumerical display controller unit and a display fordisplaying data relating to an SMT job and is further holding aplurality of component tape reels placed in individual compartments ofthe bin/trolley, wherein said bin or trolley does not comprise anypallets.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, said display data isrelating to an SMT job retrieved from said SMT information database.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, said bin has a binidentity tag in the form of a bar code attached to the bins forwardfacing surface such that the surface is facing an operator.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, said network orcommunications network is an infrared network.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, the method furthercomprises sending said display data information to an IR based system.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, said display datacomprises a selection of SMT job ID, predetermined component feederposition in the SMT pick and place machine, component type and remainingnumber of components on a component tape reel comprised in said bin ortrolley.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, a Surface MountTechnology (SMT) system is proposed for providing operator informationcomprising:

an SMT information database,

a SMT pick and place machine; and;

an identity tag scanner,

herein said system is adapted to

receiving a bin or trolley in said SMT pick and place machine, whereinsaid bin or trolley is adapted to comprise vertically oriented pallets,wherein said pallet has an pallet identity tag attached to the palletsupwards facing surface,

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, there is described abin or trolley in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) system for providingoperator information in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) systemcomprising an SMT information database and a SMT pick and place machine,wherein said bin is adapted to be received in a SMT pick and placemachine operating in a started SMT production, the bin or trolleycomprising:

an alphanumerical display controller unit an alphanumerical display,wherein said controller is configured to:

receiving display data relating to an SMT job pushed down from aseparate system via a network such as e.g. a communications network; and

presenting said display data on said alphanumerical display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the invention will be described in thefollowing description of the invention, given merely as onenon-restricting example, with reference to the attached drawings, ofwhich:

FIG. 1 shows schematically a system for SMT (Surface Mount Technology)semi-automated mounting of electronic components on printed circuitboards.

FIG. 2 shows an automated surface mount device (SMD) warehouse device.

FIG. 3 shows a method in Surface-mount technology (SMT) system forpresenting a retrieved bin at a port of an automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the technology disclosed where bins which arepre-loaded based on upcoming SMT jobs are retrieved at an automatedsurface mount device (SMD) warehouse and inserted into a componentfeeding position of the SMT pick and place machine.

FIG. 5 shows an example where bins that are pre-loaded based on upcomingSMT jobs are inserted into a component feeding position of the SMT pickand place machine.

FIG. 6 shows various examples of bin load units, such as component tapereel, component tape reel with feeder, a pallet comprising a componenttape reel and a pallet comprising a component tape reel and an SMTfeeder.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a bin comprising bin load units in the formof pallets comprising component tape reels.

FIG. 8a shows an example of a pallet

FIG. 8b shows an example of a pallet comprising a component tape reeland an SMT feeder.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a pallet adapted with an X axis componenttape reel retainer and a Y axis component tape reel retainer., whereinsaid X, Y, Z axis retainers are adapted to allow said component tapereel rotate

FIG. 10a shows an example of a pallet adapted with a Z-axis componenttape reel retainer, wherein the Z-axis component tape reel retainercomprises a backplane and a peripheral Z-axis component tape reelretainer.

FIG. 10b shows an example of a pallet adapted with a Z-axis componenttape reel retainer, wherein the Z-axis component tape reel retainercomprises a backplane and a central Z-axis component tape reel retainer.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the technology disclosed where a first and asecond bin are retrieved from, or stored in, predetermined storagepositions in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

FIG. 12a and FIG. 12b shows schematically how bin loading units areredistributed between two or more stored bins in the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse, e.g. based on component requirements ofupcoming SMT jobs.

FIG. 13 shows schematically how bin loading units may be redistributedbetween two or more stored bins in the automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse, e.g. by being brought to a designated intermediateredistribution area where bin load units might be redistributed.

FIGS. 14a and 14b shows schematically how bins are redistributed betweenpositions in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse, e.g.based on component requirements of upcoming SMT jobs.

FIG. 15 shows an example of a bin comprising bin a bin load unitcompartment section and a receptacle compartment section.

FIG. 16 shows schematically how bin load units are automaticallyredistributed between positions in the automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse using a table.

FIG. 17a shows an embodiment of the invention, wherein a bin 1710 isconfigured with an alphanumerical display 120 with an integratedalphanumerical display controller and an identity tag attached 1730 tosaid bin such that a bin ID can be obtained.

FIG. 17b shows yet an embodiment of the invention, wherein a bin 1710 isconfigured with an alphanumerical display 120 with an integratedalphanumerical display controller, wherein display data comprises a binID.

FIG. 18 shows an embodiment of a pallet, wherein the pallet comprises abackplane and a component tape reel retainer structure in the shape of abox.

FIGS. 19a-d show schematically how planning, associating, loading,replenishment and unloading may be performed in accordance with a usecase example of a typical workflow in a SMT system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Background:

The invention relates to Surface Mount Technology (SMT) systems and SMTmethods in the field of Surface Mount Technology are now the preferredmethod of automated production of electronic printed circuit boards.Such a system may typically comprise an SMT information database, an SMTpick and place machine, an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse and optionally an SMT job planning computing device, whereinall the nodes mentioned above are communicatively coupled, e.g. in acommunications network.

SMT pick and place machines for pick-and-place mounting of components ona substrate, such as a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), or a substrate for aSystem in Package (SiP) component are subject to different, oftencontradictory demands, such as mounting speed, mounting precision, size,prize, etc. The expression “pick and place” is understood by the personskilled in the art as describing the very mounting operation where amounting head in said SMT pick and place machine is moved to a componentfeeder area, where the mounting head picks one or more components fromone or more of the component feeders located at predetermined componentfeeder positions at the pick and place machine, and then is moved to amounting area where the mounting head places the component or componentson the substrate. The total task of placing all required components to apredetermined number of substrates is referred to as producing an SMTjob. The SMT job typically comprises SMT job data descriptive of allrequired components, the position of each component on a substraterequired to produce SMT production units, such as electronic printedcircuit boards, and the planned relative order the SMT job should beproduced in, e.g. third in order to be produced out of five planned SMTjobs.

A typical workflow in a SMT system, as the one described above, is thata planning user plans an SMT job to be executed, stores said SMT job inan SMT information database, an SMT operator, i.e. a human being oralternatively a robot, retrieves required components from said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and substrates from separatestorage or from said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse,transfers required components, e.g. placed on component tape reels, tothe pick and place machine and loads predetermined component feederpositions at the pick and place machine, e.g. magazines or trolleys, ofsaid SMT pick and place machine and start SMT production of SMTproduction units, i.e. substrates with SMT components placed thereupon.

The loading of predetermined component feeder positions at the pick andplace machine, e.g. magazines, in said SMT pick and place machine withindividual component tape reels may be time consuming and introducesrisks of erroneous loading of the magazines.

The methods and systems disclosed describes an automated accumulatordevice, or automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse or storageunit, which is adapted to, based on input data received from anoperator, retrieved or received from said SMT information database,receive bins, at an input port and automatically store bins and/ortrolleys in the automated SMD warehouse as well as to retrieve storedbins and present them at an output port. The bins or trolleys maycomprise or are pre-loaded with bin load units in compartments or slotsof the bin. The bin load units comprise at least a component tape reelloaded with component tape. The automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse or storage unit is further adapted to, during idle periodswhen the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse is not occupiedwith storing or retrieving bins, automatically redistribute bin loadingunits within a bin or between two or more stored bins. The automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse might further be adapted toautomatically redistribute bins between storage positions within saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

The automatic redistribution may be performed according to certainconditions applied to input data received from an operator or retrievedfrom said SMT information database, such as component requirements ofupcoming SMT jobs. The automatic redistribution may also be performedbased on frequency of component use or maximum storage capacity.

The disclosed invention thereby solves the problem of reducing load timeof the SMT pick and place machine, when transferring components from theautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse to the SMT pick and placemachine as well as reducing storage time when returning components fromthe the SMT pick and place machine to the automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse. A further advantage of the invention is to reduce therisk of erroneous loading of the SMT pick and place machine as apreconfigured bin comprising components, adapted to the upcoming SMTjob, is placed in the the SMT pick and place machine magazine without

Definitions or Clarifications

Surface-mount technology (SMT) is in this document to be understood astechnology for assembling and mounting SMT production units, e.g. byplacing SMT components on a substrate, such as a Printed Circuit Board(PCB), or a substrate for a System in Package (SiP).

SMT production is in this document to be understood as producing orassembling SMT production units, e.g. by placing SMT componentscontained in bin load units on a substrate, where in started SMTproduction involves at least feedin components from bin load units, suchas component tape reels, to an SMT pick and place machine.

SMT system in this document may typically comprise an SMT informationdatabase, an SMT pick and place machine, an automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse and optionally an SMT job planning computingdevice, further detailed in FIG. 1, wherein all the nodes mentionedabove are communicatively coupled, e.g. in a wired or wirelesscommunications network. The communication method may include at leastone of a Local Area Network (LAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN),Global System for Mobile Network (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment(EDGE), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), Wideband CodeDivision Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA),Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Bluetooth®, Zigbee®, Wi-Fi, Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP), LTE Advanced, IEEE802.16m,WirelessMAN-Advanced, Evolved High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), 3GPPLong Term Evolution (LTE), Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e), Ultra MobileBroadband (UMB) (formerly Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Rev. C), FastLow-latency Access with Seamless Handoff Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexing (Flash-OFDM), High Capacity Spatial Division MultipleAccess (iBurst®) and Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA) (IEEE802.20) systems, High Performance Radio Metropolitan Area Network(HIPERMAN), Beam-Division Multiple Access (BDMA), World Interoperabilityfor Microwave Access (Wi-MAX), optical communication, infraredcommunication and ultrasonic communication, etc., but is not limitedthereto.

SMT components or Surface-mount devices (SMD) is in this document to beunderstood as units to be placed on a substrate by the SMT system, inparticular components adapted to be assembled or mounted by a SMTsystem. This may comprise electronic components or any other componentused by the SMT system to produce an SMT production unit. The SMTcomponents are usually delivered to a SMT pick and place machine ineither paper/plastic/metallic pocket-tape, with a thin cover tapeclosing the pockets, wound on reels, in plastic tubes or in static-freetrays whereby the SMT pick and place machine places the SMT componentson said substrate to produce an SMT production unit. Non-limitingexamples of SMT components are capacitors, resistors, diodes orintegrated circuits (IC).

SMT component placement systems or SMT pick-and-place machines is inthis document to be understood as robotic machines which are used toplace SMT components onto a substrate. The SMT components, carried bytapes wound up on component tape reels, are placed in predeterminedcomponent feeding positions, e.g. magazines, in the pick and placemachine. Pick and place machines are used for high speed, high precisionplacing of broad range of SMT components. An SMT feeder or Tape guidefeeds or advances the component tape in the form of a pocket tape fromthe component tape reel and removes a thin cover tape closing thepockets. The feeder might utilize internal or external drive to feed thepocket tape. The pick and place machine actuators, e.g. robotic arms,adapted with nozzles rapidly pick components out of their pockets in thepocket tape and place them on the substrate. Information such assubstrate positions and types of SMT components, previous to initiationof the assembly and mounting by the pick and place machine, isgenerated, planned or determined by a planning user on a SMT jobplanning computing device, together with the number of SMT productionunits to be produced, and stored as information in a SMT informationdatabase in the form of an SMT job. Multiple SMT jobs might be plannedand ordered in a SMT job list, also referred to as upcoming SMT jobs,stored in said SMT information database.

SMT feeder or tape and reel feed mechanism is in this document to beunderstood as an arrangement through which the component tape isthreaded. The SMT feeder is attached to or mounted on the pick and placemachine and is adapted to feed or advance the pocket tape from thecomponent tape reel and to remove a thin cover tape closing the pockets.The SMT feeder may have a built-in tape advancing mechanism or utilize atape advancing mechanism of the pick and place machine or the magazine,e.g. a feeding wheel or a protrusion utilizing an internal or externaldrive such as a linear motor, in the pick-and-place machine or magazineprotrudes through the tape guide into contact with the pre-threadedtape. The SMT feeder might adapted to comprise an SMT feeder ID thatmight be stored an associated to other identities in said SMTinformation database, e.g. associated to a component tape reel ID. Thetechnology disclosed in this document also enables that the SMT feederalso may be adapted to comprise an SMT feeder ID that might be stored anassociated to identities of other types of units such as bin IDs orpallet IDs of said SMT system, and where the bin IDs or pallet IDs alsomay be stored as IDs in an SMT information database.

SMT job planning computing device is in this document to be understoodas a computing device comprising a processor, a memory, a userinput/output interface and a communication interface adapted to receiveuser input as data, present data to said user, store data to memory,retrieve data from memory and send data to an external unit, e.g. theSMT information database. The SMT job planning computing device may beconfigured and used to plan and optimize one or a plurality of upcomingSMT jobs, e.g. the order of upcoming SMT jobs, the order of loading ofSMT feeders into the pick and place machine etc.

SMT information database is in this document to be understood as a nodeadapted to receive information data via an external communicationinterface, such as a communication network, to store said data inmemory, to receive a request for information, to retrieve data frommemory based on said request and to send data via said externalcommunication interface to a requesting node. Examples informationstored in the database may be SMT component location on a substrate,type of SMT component, the number of produced substrates with placed SMTcomponents, SMT job ID, identities of component tape reels, pallets andbins and association information, e.g. linking a component tape reel IDto a feeder ID, a component tape reel ID to a pallet ID or a componenttape reel ID to a bin ID. The SMT information database might in aspectof the technology disclosed be implemented as a relational database, adBASE database, an object oriented database, NewSQL database or NoSQLdatabase such as an XML database.

Automated surface mount device (SMD) warehouse is in this document to beunderstood as an automatic robotic storage unit comprising a userinput/output device 220, an external communication interface 240, aprocessor 210, and an actuator 250, further detailed in FIG. 2. Theinput/output device 220 is adapted to receive user indications as userindication data and to send the user indication data to a processor. Theinput/output device 220 is further adapted to receive user indicationdata from a processor and present the data to a user, e.g. by the use ofindication means such as light emitting diodes or displays. The externalcommunication interface 240 is adapted to receive data as a signal froma processor and to send said data as a signal to external units, such asthe SMT information database. The external communication interface 240is further adapted to receive data as a signal from external units, suchas the SMT information database, and to send said data to saidprocessor. The memory 230 is adapted to receive data as a signal from aprocessor and to store said data. The memory 230 is further adapted toretrieve data and to send said data as a signal to said processor. Theprocessor 210 is adapted to receive input data, wherein said input datamay be received from an operator or retrieved as information from theSMT information database, and to control the actuator 250.

In the technology disclosed, the actuator 250, e.g. a mechanical hand orrobot arm, is adapted to be controlled by the processor to receive a binat an input port of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse,to store said bin at a position within said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse and to store said position and alternatively abin ID, a pallet ID, a component tape reel ID or an SMT feeder ID inmemory. The processor is further adapted to control the actuator toretrieve a bin at a position within said automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse, based on said input data and a position within saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse retrieved from memory,and to present said retrieved bin at an output port of said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In the technology disclosed, the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse or storage unit may further be configured to automaticallyredistribute bin loading units within a bin or between two or morestored bins, e.g. for replenishment purposes when the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse concurrently is occupied with storing orretrieving bins or for optimization of upcoming SMT jobs or storagespace in the Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse during idle periodswhen the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse is not occupiedwith storing or retrieving bins. The automatic redistribution may beperformed according to certain conditions applied to input data receivedfrom an operator or retrieved from said SMT information database, suchas component requirements of upcoming SMT jobs. The automaticredistribution may also be performed based on frequency of component useor maximum storage capacity. As an example a bin or multiple bins mightbe loaded with component tape reels required for producing the next SMTjob.

In the technology disclosed, a plurality of automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse may be configured to form an integrated automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse cluster, wherein bin load units maybe redistributed between a first and a second automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse via a first opening in the first automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and a second opening in the firstsecond automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse, wherein a firstactuator in the first automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse isconfigured to grip a bin load unit in the second opening and a secondactuator in the second automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse isconfigured to grip a bin load unit in the first opening such that binload units can be passed from said first Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse and said second Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In the technology disclosed, the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse or storage unit may further be configured to store bins with asmall physical volume, e.g. adapted to hold two bin load units as isfurther described in relation to FIG. 7.

In the technology disclosed, the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse or storage unit may further be configured to store bins with alarge physical volume, wherein the bins are configured with wheels toform a trolley, e.g. adapted to hold multiple bin load units, whereinthe bin load units comprises component tape reels and SMT feedersmounted so that it can be positioned in an SMT pick and place machine 91for immediate operation and feed components directly into the SMT pickand place machine 91.

Pallet is in this document to be understood as an accumulator device forelectronic components comprised on a component tape reel and adaptedwith an attachment arrangements allowing storage in a bin, a position inan automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and position in an SMTpick and place machine, as would be understood by a person skilled inthe art

Bin is in this document to be understood as an basket, trolley oraccumulator adapted to comprise packet units of component tape reels andoptional SMT feeder, pallets or any component handled by an SMT pick andplace machine in one or more compartments and adapted with an attachmentarrangement allowing storage in a position in an automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse and an SMT pick and place machine, as would beunderstood by a person skilled in the art. Alternatively, the bincomprises a bin identity tag, e.g. attached to the bins forward facingsurface such that the surface is facing an operator, wherein saididentity tag comprises an alphanumerical display controller unit and analphanumerical display. The alphanumerical display controller canoptionally recognize and register bin load units placed in the bin, e.g.by scanning barcodes or RFID tags attached to the bin load units. Thescanning may be performed manually by a handheld barcode tag/RFID tagscanner or by a barcode tag/RFID tag scanner integrated in the bin.Alternatively the alphanumerical display controller is configured tocommunicate data, e.g. identities of recognize and register bin loadunits, via the communications network to the SMT information database,e.g. such that information on the content of the bin is available in theSMT information database. Alternatively, the bin is further configuredwith wheels to form a trolley such that the bin can be retrievedmanually or automatically from an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse 93 and positioned in an SMT pick and place machine 91 forimmediate operation. Alternatively, the bin is configured to facilitateblock-handling of bin load units such that components can be feddirectly into the SMT pick and place machine 91 when the bin load unitsare placed in the bin, e.g. by configuring the bin to hold SMT feedersmounted on the bin positioned to feed components directly into the SMTpick and place machine 91. Alternatively, wherein the bin load unitcomprises an SMT feeder and wherein the alphanumerical displaycontroller is configured to receive data via the communications networkfrom the SMT information database, wherein the data comprises bin loadunit related data such as pickup offset and component tape pitch.

Systems

FIG. 1 shows a schematically view of an SMT system 100 comprising an SMTinformation database 92, an SMT pick and place machine 91, an automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse 93 and optionally an SMT jobplanning computing device 95, further detailed in FIG. 1, wherein allthe nodes mentioned above are communicatively coupled in acommunications network 94. The communications network may include atleast one of a Local Area Network (LAN), Metropolitan Area Network(MAN), Global System for Mobile Network (GSM), Enhanced Data GSMEnvironment (EDGE), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), WidebandCode Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Bluetooth®, Zigbee®,Wi-Fi, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), LTE Advanced, IEEE802.16m,WirelessMAN-Advanced, Evolved High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), 3GPPLong Term Evolution (LTE), Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e), Ultra MobileBroadband (UMB) (formerly Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Rev. C), FastLow-latency Access with Seamless Handoff Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexing (Flash-OFDM), High Capacity Spatial Division MultipleAccess (iBurst®) and Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA) (IEEE802.20) systems, High Performance Radio Metropolitan Area Network(HIPERMAN), Beam-Division Multiple Access (BDMA), World Interoperabilityfor Microwave Access (Wi-MAX) and ultrasonic communication, infrarednetworks etc., but is not limited thereto.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse 200adapted to obtain information related to upcoming SMT jobs,to store bins at predetermined positions within said automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse. The automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse further comprises a processor/processing unit 210 providedwith specifically designed programming or program code portions adaptedto control the processing unit to perform the steps and functions ofaspect of the technology disclosed of the inventive method describedherein. The automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse furthercomprises at least one memory 230 configured to store data values orparameters received from a processor 210 or to retrieve and send datavalues or parameters to a processor 210. The automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse further comprises a communications interface 240configured to send or receive data values or parameters to/from aprocessor 210 to/from external units via the communications interface240. The automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse furthercomprises an actuator 250, such as a robot or robotic arm, adapted toretrieve/store bins, pallets or component tape reels at predeterminedpositions within the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehousebased on control data received from said processor.

The processor/processing unit 210 may be a processor such as a generalor specific purpose processor/processing unit for example amicroprocessor, microcontroller or other control logic that comprisessections of code or code portions, stored on a computer readable storagemedium, such as a memory 230, that are fixed to perform certain tasksbut also other alterable sections of code, stored on a computer readablestorage medium, that can be altered during use. Such alterable sectionsof code can comprise parameters that are to be used as input for thevarious tasks, such as displaying or processing HTML content or anyother parameter related operations known to a person skilled in the artand applied without inventive skill.

The processor/processing unit 210 may be configured to becommunicatively coupled and communicate with a memory 230 where data andparameters are kept ready for use by the processing unit 210. The one ormore memories 230 may comprise a selection of a hard RAM, disk drive, afloppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a CD orDVD drive (R or RW), or other removable or fixed media drive.

Method and Further Systems of the Technology Disclosed

When producing SMT production units in an SMT system a SMT jobassociated with an SMT production unit is planned or predefined andstored in an SMT information database. Information relating to an SMTjob might indicate the number of production units to be produced andcomponent requirements to complete production of the SMT unit by an SMTpick and place machine. In conventional systems this involves retrievingindividual component rolls carrying SMT components, transporting andinserting them in a component feeding position at the pick and placemachine, where they can provide components to the pick and place machinerobot. The invention reduces the complexity and error-prone previousprocess by providing pre-loaded bins, trays or accumulator devices thatare automatically retrieved from the automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse and presented at a port, slit, oulet or access point tothe operator of the pick and place machine and can be inserted directlyinto the pick and place machine for the upcoming SMT job. As the binshave been pre-loaded with components required at the upcoming SMT job,less actions are required by the operator. Information relating toupcoming SMT jobs are obtained, e.g. retrieved from memory, pushed orsent by the SMT information database over a communications network,retrieved over a communications network from the SMT informationdatabase or obtained from operator indications to an input/output deviceof the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse. Examples of inputdata received by the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse areSMT job ID, SMT job component requirements, bin ID, pallet ID, componenttape reel ID or a parameter representing position in the automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

FIG. 6 shows various examples of bin load units comprised in a bin 610,such as a component tape reel 620, a component tape reel with SMT feeder630, a pallet comprising a component tape reel 640 and a palletcomprising a component tape reel and an SMT feeder 650. The bin 610 maycomprise one or a plurality of compartments or slots adapted to comprisebin load units. The SMT feeder 650 may have a built-in tape advancingmechanism or utilize a tape advancing mechanism of the pick and placemachine or the magazine, e.g. a feeding wheel or a protrusion utilizingan internal or external drive such as a linear motor, in thepick-and-place machine or magazine, that protrudes through the tapeguide into contact with the pre-threaded tape.

FIG. 7a shows an example of a bin 710 comprising bin load units 720 inthe form of pallets comprising component tape reels. FIG. 7b shows yetan example of a bin 710 configured as a trolley. The bin 710 is loadedwith a bin load unit consisting of a component tape reel 721 and a SMTfeeder 722. The bin 710 further comprises a first compartment section730 adapted to comprise bin load units and a second chassis section 740configured to roll on a supporting surface, such as a floor, such thatthe bin can be moved back and forth between the SMD Warehouse and thePick-and-Place Machine, be retrieved/stored by an actuator in anautomated SMD warehouse and to be inserted directly into the pick andplace machine for producing the upcoming SMT job. In one embodiment thefirst compartment section 730 and the second chassis section 740 isconfigured as an integral non-separable part. In yet another embodimentthe first compartment section 730 and the second chassis section 740 isconfigured as an separable parts such that the first compartment section730 can be separated from the second chassis section 740 and storedseparately in an automated SMD Warehouse or inserted separately in anSMT pick and place machine.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the technology disclosed where a first 1110and a second bin 1120 are retrieved from, or stored in, predeterminedstorage positions 1130 in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse. The attachment of a bin to the storage position might beperformed by a hook, an element protruding through a hole, by magneticmeans or any other attachment means known to a skilled person.

FIG. 15a shows an example of a bin 1510 comprising bin load units 1520in the form of component tape reels. The bin 1510 is further configuredto comprise a third bin load unit compartment section 1532 adapted tocomprise bin load units 1520 and a fourth receptacle compartment section1531 adapted to comprise said third load unit compartment section 1532.The third bin load unit compartment section 1532, can be separated fromthe fourth receptacle compartment section 1531 and inserted back intothe fourth receptacle compartment section 1531 at a later time. The bin1510 comprising a third load unit compartment section 1532 inserted intothe fourth receptacle compartment section 1531 can be be inserteddirectly into the pick and place machine for producing the upcoming SMTjob. By replacing the third load unit compartment section 1532 with adifferent one, e.g. a third load unit compartment section 1532configured to receive component trays, component sticks or componenttape reels, the bin can be more easily reconfigured to be loaded withdifferent type of components depending on requirements of an SMT job. Anadvantage is that the delay when configuring a pick and place machinefor an upcoming SMT job can be reduced. Yet another advantage is thatthe same fourth receptacle compartment section 1531 can be used forvarious components by changing the third load unit compartment section1532

Improved Storage and Handling of Electronical Component Retrieving Bins

FIG. 3 shows an example of the technology disclosed in the form a methodin an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse adapted to obtaininformation related to upcoming SMT jobs, to store bins at predeterminedpositions within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse andto retrieve bins at predetermined positions within said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse, wherein said bins are adapted tocomprise bin load units, wherein said bin load unit comprises at least acomponent tape reel, the method comprising:

300: receiving input data;

310: retrieving a bin based on said input data and a parameterrepresenting a position within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse, wherein said bin is adapted to comprise bin load units,wherein said bin load unit comprises at least a component tape reel

320: presenting said retrieved bin at a port of said automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In yet an embodiment, there is provided a method in an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse adapted to obtain information related toupcoming SMT jobs, to store bins at predetermined positions within saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and to retrieve bins atpredetermined positions within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse, wherein said bins are adapted to comprise bin load units,wherein said bin load unit comprises at least a component tape reel, themethod comprising:

receiving at least one of input data and a parameter representing aposition within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse;

retrieving a bin loaded with a plurality of bin load units from saidposition within said automated SMD warehouse at least partly based onsaid at least one of input data and/or a parameter representing saidposition within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse; and

presenting said retrieved bin at, or close to, an output port, such asan opening, of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In one non-limiting example input data descriptive of set of components,component 1, component 2, component P, is received 300. A bin isretrieved based on said input data and a parameter representing aposition within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse. Inone example, the parameter may be comprised in a data structure storedin the SMD warehouse, such as a table, descriptive of a component tapeidentity, bin identity or pallet ID and a position within said SMD e.g.:

Identity Xposition Yposition Z position component tape identity 1 X1 Y1Z1 component tape identity 2 X2 Y2 Z2 component tape identity 3 X3 Y3 Z3component tape identity 4 X4 Y4 Z4

In one example, the parameter may be comprised in a data structure, suchas a table, descriptive of a component tape identity, bin identity orpallet ID and a position within said SMD e.g.:

Identity Shelf ID component tape identity 1 S1 component tape identity 2S2 component tape identity 3 S3 component tape identity 4 S4

The X, Y, Z position or the shelf ID is obtained by performing a look-upin the parameter table on the input data to obtain the position withinsaid automated SMD warehouse, e.g. (X1,Y1,Z1) or (Shelf 34). The bin orbins located at the obtained position within said automated SMDwarehouse is then retrieved and presented at a port of said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

The automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse may further comprisean input/output interface and said input data is received from saidinput/output interface based on an operator indication of an upcomingSMT job.

In one example, an operator enters the identity of an upcoming SMT job,the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse retrieves or receivesthe identities of components associated with, comprised in or requiredin the upcoming SMT job from said SMT information database, such ascomponent tape reel identity or pallet identity. The X, Y, Z position orthe shelf ID is obtained by performing a look-up in the parameter tableon the retrieved or received identities of components to obtain theposition within said automated SMD warehouse, e.g. (X1,Y1,Z1) or (Shelf34). The bin or bins located at the obtained position within saidautomated SMD warehouse is then retrieved and presented at a port ofsaid automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In one or more examples of the technology disclosed, said input data isreceived or retrieved from an SMT information database and said inputdata is associated with or is indicating an upcoming SMT job.

In one example, the input data descriptive of an upcoming SMT job ispushed by or recived from the SMT information database via thecommunications network, the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse retrieves or receives the identities of components associatedwith, comprised in or required in the upcoming SMT job from said SMTinformation database, such as component tape reel identity or palletidentity. The X, Y, Z position or the shelf ID is obtained by performinga look-up in the parameter table on the retrieved or received identitiesof components to obtain the position within said automated SMDwarehouse, e.g. (X1,Y1,Z1) or (Shelf 34). The bin or bins located at theobtained position within said automated SMD warehouse is then retrievedand presented at a port of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse.

In one or more examples of the technology disclosed, said parameter isrepresenting a position within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse and is retrieved from a memory in said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse.

In one example the parameter representing a position within saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse is an X, Y, Z position orthe shelf ID and is obtained or retrieved by performing a look-up in aparameter table based on the retrieved or received identities ofcomponents to obtain the position within said automated SMD warehouse,e.g. (X1,Y1,Z1) or (Shelf 34).

The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving a bin is performed based on anupcoming SMT job, wherein the SMT job comprises data indicative ofrequired components in said upcoming SMT job, wherein said bin has beenpre-loaded with bin load units based on said SMT job.

In one example the actuator in the automated SMD warehouse havepre-loaded the bin based on a subset of required components orbill-of-materials in an upcoming SMT job by automatically redistributingstored bin load units in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse based on at least one of SMT job related information receivedor retrieved from said SMT database.

Storing Bins

After finishing an SMT job the operator unloads the bin from the pickand place machine and returns it to the port of the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse, that in turn receives the bin and storesit at an available position or storage position within the automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse by the use of one or moreactuators, such as a robot, robot arm or other actuator known to askilled person.

In yet another example of the technology disclosed provides for a methodin an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse adapted to obtaininformation related to upcoming SMT jobs, to store bins at predeterminedpositions within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse,wherein said bins are adapted to comprise bin load units, wherein saidbin load unit comprises at least a component tape reel, the methodcomprising:

receiving a bin at a port, such as an opening, of said automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse;

storing said bin at a position within said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse;

store said position

In yet another example of the technology disclosed provides for a methodin an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse adapted to obtaininformation related to upcoming SMT jobs, to store bins at predeterminedpositions within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse,wherein said bins are adapted to comprise bin load units, wherein saidbin load unit comprises at least a component tape reel, the methodcomprising:

receiving a bin at an input port, such as an opening, of said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse;

determining tape reel identities of component tape reels comprised insaid bin;

storing said bin at one of said plurality of positions within saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse, wherein said bin iscomprising a plurality of bin load units, and wherein each of saidplurality of bin load units is comprising or constituting a componenttape reel.

In one example, an operator provides a bin comprising bin load units atthe port of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse. The binload units in the bin are identified, e.g. by scanning an identity tagor retrieving associated bin load units from the SMT informationdatabase. The processor in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse identifies an available position within said automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse that could accommodate the bin andretrieves the corresponding parameter value from memory. The actuatorthen stores the received bin at the retrieved position within saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and stores the positionwithin said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse associated tobin load unit ID's comprised in the bin in the memory and/or the SMTinformation database, where bin load unit ID's are e.g. component tapereel ID's or pallet ID's.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, storing said binfurther comprises:

determining tape reel identities of component tape reels comprised insaid bin;

In one example, determining tape reel identities comprise scanning anidentity tag of component tape reels comprised in said bin, where theidentity tags are e.g. barcode or RFID tags.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, determining tape reelidentities of component tape reels comprised in said bin comprises:

scanning individual identity tags attached to component tape reels; and;

store the identity (ID) of each component tape reel to a memory in saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, determining tape reelidentities of component tape reels comprised in said bin comprises:

scanning individual identity tags attached to component tape reels; and

storing the identity (ID) of each component tape reel scanned and theposition of the stored bin to at least one of a memory in said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and/or in an SMT informationdatabase.

In one example, the scanning is performed at the input port of the SMDwarehouse with the bin load units positioned in the bin.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, determining tape reelidentities of component tape reels comprised in said bin furthercomprises:

gripping said bin load unit comprised in said bin by an actuatorcomprised in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse;

moving said bin load to an intermediate position within said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse;

replacing said bin load unit in said bin.

In one example, the actuator moves the bin load unit into a positionwhere it can be scanned by a fixed identity tag scanner, e.g. a bar codescanner.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said individualidentity tags are barcodes adapted to be scanned by a barcode scannerunit and through said scanning provide information to the barcodescanner unit of an associated identity.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, determining tape reelidentities of component tape reels comprised in said bin comprises:

scanning individual identity tags attached to pallets comprisingcomponent tape reels to obtain bin ID's,

retrieve the ID of component tape reel ID associated to pallet ID fromsaid SMT information database.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, determining tape reelidentities of component tape reels comprised in said bin comprises:

scanning, or reading, individual identity tags attached to palletscomprising component tape reels, whereby individual pallet IDs areobtained from said scanning or reading of individual identity tagsattached to pallets; and

retrieving the ID of component tape reels associated with said obtainedpallet ID's from said SMT information database.

In one example, the component tape ID's are associated with respectivepallet ID's in the SMT information database, the pallet ID's areobtained by scanning identity tags attached to the pallets and the ID'sof component tape reels associated to the scanned pallet ID from saidSMT information database using database lookup, as would be understoodby a person skilled in the art.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, determining tape reelidentities of component tape reels comprised in said bin comprises:

scanning an identity tag attached to said bin to obtain bin ID's;

retrieve the ID's of component tape reel ID's associated to said binID's from said SMT information database

In one example, the component tape ID's are associated with respectivebin ID's in the SMT information database, the bin ID's are obtained byscanning identity tags attached to the bins and the ID's of componenttape reels associated to the scanned bin ID from said SMT informationdatabase using database lookup, as would be understood by a personskilled in the art.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said identity tag isone of a EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC, Code 39, GS1-128, AI, Code 128, ITF-14,ITF-14, GS1 Datamatrix, GS1 Databar, Industrial 2 of 5, Industrial 2 of5 Interleaved, 3-DI, ArrayTag, Aztec Code, Small Aztec Code, Codablock,Code 1, Code 16K, Code 49, ColorCode, Color Construct Code, CompactMatrix Code, CP Code, CyberCode, d-touch, DataGlyphs, Data Matrix,Datastrip Code, Dot Code A, EZcode, Grid Matrix Code, HD Barcode, HighCapacity Color Barcode, HueCode, INTACTA.CODE, InterCode, JAGTAG,MaxiCode, mCode, MiniCode, MicroPDF417, MMCC, Nintendo e-Reader#Dotcode, Optar, PaperDisk, PDF417, PDMark, QR Code, QuickMark Code, SecureSeal, SmartCode, Snowflake code, ShotCode, SPARQCode, SuperCode,Trillcode, UltraCode, UnisCode, VeriCode, VSCode, WaterCode and RadioFrequency Identification (RFID) tags.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said position isstored as a parameter representing a position within said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In one example, wherein said position is an X,Y,Z coordinate or a shelfidentity.

SMD System

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse system is comprising:

a processor;

an actuator communicatively coupled to said processor, such as a robotor robotic arm, adapted to retrieve or store bins, pallets or componenttape reels at predetermined positions within the automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse based on control data received from a processor,

a memory

wherein said processor is adapted

to obtain information related to upcoming SMT jobs,

to store bins at predetermined positions within said automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse by sending control data to said actuator,wherein said bins are adapted to comprise bin load units, wherein saidbin load unit comprises at least a component tape reel,

wherein said processor in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse adapted to perform the steps of:

receiving input data;

retrieving a bin based on said input data and a parameter representing aposition within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse bysending control data to said actuator, wherein said bin is adapted tocomprise bin load units, wherein said bin load unit comprises at least acomponent tape reel

presenting said retrieved bin by said actuator at a port of saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse by sending control datato said actuator

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the system furthercomprising an input/output interface and said input data is receivedfrom said input/output interface based on an operator indication of anupcoming SMT job

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the system furthercomprising a communications interface and said input data is receivedfrom said SMT information database via a communications network and saidinput data is associated with(indicating) an upcoming SMT job

In yet another embodiment, an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse comprising:

a processor, and

an actuator, such as a robot or robotic arm, communicatively coupled tosaid processor;

wherein said processor is configured to receiving at least one of inputdata and a parameter representing a position within said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and to send control data to theactuator at least partly based on the obtained information and/orinstructions;

wherein the actuator is configured to retrieve a bin from said positionwithin the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and presentingsaid retrieved bin at, or close to, an output port, such as an opening,of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based on controldata received from said processor

The automated SMD warehouse of claim 11, further comprising aninput/output interface, and wherein said processor is configured toreceive input data from said input/output interface based on an operatorindication of an upcoming SMT job.

The automated SMD warehouse of any of claims 11 to 12, furthercomprising a communications interface configured to receive and/orretrieve input data from a SMT information database via a communicationsnetwork, wherein said processor is further configured to receive inputdata from said communications network, wherein said input data isassociated with, or is indicating, an upcoming SMT job.

The automated SMD warehouse of claim 20, wherein said retrieved bin isloaded with a plurality of bin load units, said bin load units eachcomprising or constituting a component tape reel.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse system is comprising:

an actuator, such as a robot or robotic arm, adapted to retrieve orstore bins, pallets or component tape reels at predetermined positionswithin the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based oncontrol data received from a processor,

a memory

a processor, adapted to

to obtain information related to upcoming SMT jobs,

to store bins at predetermined positions within said automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse by sending control data to said actuator,wherein said bins are adapted to comprise bin load units, wherein saidbin load unit comprises at least a component tape reel,

wherein said processor in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse adapted to perform the steps of:

receiving a bin at a port of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse by controlling said actuator with control data;

storing said bin at a position within said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse by said actuator with control data;

store said position

In one or more embodiments, wherein said processor is further adapted toperform any of the steps of the methods described herein

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse system comprising:

an actuator, such as a robot or robotic arm, adapted to retrieve orstore bins, pallets or component tape reels at predetermined positionswithin the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based oncontrol data received from a processor,

a memory

a processor configured to obtain information related to upcoming SMTjobs;

wherein said actuator is configured to store bins at predeterminedpositions within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse byreceiving control data from said processor, and wherein said bins areadapted to comprise bin load units, wherein said bin load unit comprisesat least a component tape reel,

and wherein said processor of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse system is further configured to control the steps of:

receiving a bin at a port of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse by providing said actuator with control data; and

storing said bin at a position within said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse by providing said actuator with said controldata.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a computer programproduct comprising computer readable code is configured to, whenexecuted in a processor, perform any or all of the method steps of themethods described herein.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a non-transitorycomputer readable memory on which is stored computer readable code isconfigured to, when executed in a processor, perform any or all of themethod steps of the methods described herein.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a computer programproduct comprising computer readable code is configured to, whenexecuted in a processor, perform any or all of the method steps of themethods described herein.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a non-transitorycomputer readable memory on which is stored computer readable code isconfigured to, when executed in a processor, perform any or all of themethod steps of the methods described herein.

Providing Information to an SMT System Operator Providing InformationRegarding an SMT Job

To operate the SMT system an operator responsible for monitoring theproduction of the SMT production units, to retrieve components from theSMD warehouse and to insert components in positions in the SMT pick andplace machine. Today these tasks are performed by manual methods such asprintouts. There is a need to provide the operator with dynamicinformation, e.g. into which position a retrieved component should beinserted in the SMT pick and place machine or which components that areabout to run out when the SMT pick and place machine is in production ofSMT production units. With improved information obtained by theoperator, the risk of erroneous insertion in the SMT pick and placemachine can be reduced and the time required to stop the production toreplace a component tape reel can be reduced.

In one or more embodiments, a method for providing operator informationin an Surface Mount Technology (SMT) system comprising an SMTinformation database, a SMT pick and place machine where SMT productionhave been started and an identity tag scanner, wherein SMT production atleast comprises feeding components from a bin load unit to the SMY pickand place machine, the method comprising:

receiving a bin in said SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bin isadapted to comprise vertically oriented bin load units, wherein said binload unit has an bin load unit identity tag attached to the bin loadunit upwards facing surface

scanning individual identity tags attached to pallets comprisingcomponent tape reels to obtain pallet ID's

In one or more aspect of the technology disclosed describes a method forproviding operator information in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT)system comprising an SMT information database, a SMT pick and placemachine and an identity tag scanner, the method comprising:

receiving a bin in said SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bin isadapted to comprise vertically oriented bin load units, wherein said binload unit has an bin load unit identity tag attached to the bin loadunit upwards facing surface

starting SMT production on said SMT pick and place machine;

scanning individual identity tags attached to bin load units comprisingcomponent tape reels to obtain bin load IDs

In one or more embodiments, wherein said bin load units are comprised inpallets.

In one or more aspect of the technology disclosed describes a method forproviding operator information in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT)system comprising an SMT information database, a SMT pick and placemachine and an identity tag scanner, the method comprising:

receiving a bin in said SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bin isadapted to comprise vertically oriented pallets, wherein said pallet hasan pallet identity tag attached to the pallets upwards facing surface

starting SMT production on said SMT pick and place machine;

scanning individual identity tags attached to pallets comprisingcomponent tape reels to obtain pallet ID's

In one example, the bin load units are comprised in pallets. Individualidentity tags attached to pallets are scanned to obtain pallet IDs. Thepallet ID is associated to other identities, such as component IDs, binIDs, component tape reel IDs etc., in the SMT information database andthe associated ID can be retrieved and presented to an operator on adisplay on the scanner or on the pick and place machine.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a method forproviding operator information in an Surface Mount Technology (SMT)system comprising an SMT information database and a SMT pick and placemachine where SMT production have been started, wherein started SMTproduction at least comprises feeding components from a bin load unit tothe SMY pick and place machine, the method comprising:

receiving a bin in said SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bincomprises an alphanumerical display controller unit and a alphanumericaldisplay

receiving display data relating to an SMT job via a communicationsnetwork;

present said display data on said alphanumerical display

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed describes a method forproviding operator information in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT)system comprising an SMT information database and a SMT pick and placemachine, the method comprising:

receiving a bin in said SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bin hasa bin identity tag attached to the bins forward facing surface such thatthe surface is facing an operator, wherein said identity tag comprisesan alphanumerical display controller unit and a alphanumerical display

starting SMT production on said SMT pick and place machine;

receiving display data relating to an SMT job from said SMT informationdatabase;

present said display data on said alphanumerical display.

In one example, the bin load units are comprised in a bin configuredwith a bin identity tag attached to the bins forward facing surface suchthat the surface is facing an operator, wherein said identity tagcomprises an alphanumerical display controller unit and analphanumerical display. Data relating to the number of componentsremaining in a bin load unit, such as a component tape reel, iscontinuously sent from the pick and place machine to the SMT informationdatabase. A selection of the identity of the pick and place machine, thelocation into where the bin should be placed in the pick and placemachine, the type of component and the number of remaining component isreceived as display data and presented on the alphanumerical display.

In one or more embodiments, wherein said display data is received via acommunications network.

In one or more embodiments, wherein said communications network is awireless communications network.

In one or more embodiments, wherein said display data is relating to anSMT job retrieved from said SMT information database

In one or more embodiments, wherein said bin has a bin identity tag inthe form of a bar code attached to the bins forward facing surface suchthat the surface is facing an operator

In one or more embodiments, wherein said communications network is aninfrared network or an wireless local area network (WLAN).

In one or more embodiments, wherein the method further comprises sendingsaid display information to an IR based system.

In one or more embodiments, wherein said display data is pushed downfrom a separate system.

In one or more embodiments, wherein the method step of receiving displaydata is preceded by scanning individual identity tags attached to binload units, pallets, bins or pick and place machine magazines.

In one example, the display data is received only after an individualidentity tag has been scanned by an operator.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed describes a SurfaceMount Technology (SMT) system for providing operator informationcomprising:

an SMT information database,

a SMT pick and place machine; and;

an identity tag scanner,

wherein said system is adapted to

receiving a bin in said SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bin isadapted to comprise vertically oriented bin load units, wherein said binload units has an bin load units identity tag attached to the bin loadunits upwards facing surface,

In one or more embodiments, wherein said bin load units are comprised inpallets

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed describes a bin in aSurface Mount Technology (SMT) system for providing operator informationin an Surface Mount Technology (SMT) system comprising an SMTinformation database and a SMT pick and place machine, wherein said binis adapted to be received in a SMT pick and place machine operating in astarted SMT production, the bin comprising:

an alphanumerical display controller unit and an alphanumerical display,wherein said controller is configured to:

receiving display data relating to an SMT job pushed down from aseparate system via a communications network;

present said display data on said alphanumerical display

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said display datacomprises a selection of SMT job ID, predetermined component feederposition in the SMT pick and place machine, component type and remainingnumber of components on a component tape reel comprised in said bin

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a Surface MountTechnology (SMT) system for providing operator information iscomprising:

an SMT information database,

a SMT pick and place machine; and;

an identity tag scanner,

Wherein said system is adapted to

receiving a bin in said SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bin isadapted to comprise vertically oriented pallets, wherein said pallet hasan pallet identity tag attached to the pallets upwards facing surface,

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a bin in a SurfaceMount Technology (SMT) system is used for providing operatorinformation, where the technology disclosed is enabling that said bin isadapted to be received in a SMT pick and place machine, and wherein saidbin has a bin identity tag attached to the bins forward facing surfacesuch that the surface is facing an operator, wherein said identity tagmay also, or alternatively, comprise an alphanumerical displaycontroller unit and a alphanumerical display.

Optimizing Presentation of Components in an SMD Warehouse OptimizingPresentation of Components in an SMD Warehouse

In order to reduce retrieval time in an automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse and speed up preparation of the SMT pick and placemachine with components required to start production there is a need tooptimize the configuration of stored units in the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse. Idle time, e.g. when no storage orretrieval is performed by the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse, may be used to pre-load bins with components required in anupcoming SMT job, to rearrange and optimize storage space within theautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and to place storedunits, such as bins or pallets, that are expected to be used within aforeseeable future, close to the port of the automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse. The bin load units are provided with identitytags that might be scanned individually and the identity of the tagtogether with the storage position of the bin is stored in memorycoupled to the processor of the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse

In one or more aspect of the technology disclosed, a method is describedfor optimizing presentation of bin load units at a port in an automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse adapted to obtain informationrelated to upcoming SMT jobs, the method comprising:

automatically redistributing stored bin load units based onpredetermined rules to optimize presentation of bin load units at a portof said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based oninformation relating to upcoming SMT jobs

In one or more embodiments, wherein said bin load units are in saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse, wherein redistributingif further based on SMT job related information received or retrievedfrom said SMT database.

In one example, a data structure indicating required components orbills-of-material for upcoming SMT jobs is received from the SMTinformation database. Bin load units corresponding to upcoming SMT jobsare loaded into bins and the bins are redistributed or moved based onpredetermined rules to optimize presentation of bin load units at a portof said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said stored bin loadunits are comprised in individual stored pallets

In one example a component tape reel and/or a SMT feeder is comprised ina pallet and the pallet is loaded into a bin.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said stored bin loadunits are comprised in one or more stored bins

In one example a component tape reel and/or a SMT feeder is loaded intoa bin.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said predeterminedrules are based on information on component requirements of upcoming SMTjobs.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein at least oneof said predetermined rules and said SMT job related informationreceived or retrieved from said SMT database are based on, or provides,information on component requirements of upcoming SMT jobs.

In one example, information relating to upcoming SMT jobs SMT1, SMT2 andSMT3 is received, where the information comprises at least the requiredcomponents or bills-of-material for upcoming SMT jobs SMT1, SMT2 andSMT3 and the sequential order they are planned to be executed orproduced in the pick and place machine. The predetermined rule isdependent on the sequential order SMT1, SMT2 and SMT3, thus bin loadunits comprising required components in SMT1 would be loaded into binsan placed or located closest to the port of the automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse. Bin load units comprising required components inSMT2 would further be loaded into bins a placed or located secondclosest to the port of the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse and so forth. Redistribution based on information on componentrequirements of upcoming SMT jobs is further described in relation toFIG. 14.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein at least oneof said predetermined rules and said SMT job related informationreceived or retrieved from said SMT database are based on, or provides,information on frequency of component use in previous SMT jobs.

In one example, the predetermined rule is dependent on frequency of use.Statistical information relating to component requirements of previouslyexecuted SMT jobs is retrieved from a memory in the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse or from the SMT information database,example of statistical information indicating a high frequency of use istotal number of components used or total number of components used pertime unit. Bin load units comprising components with associatedstatistical information indicating the highest frequency of use would beloaded into bins an placed or located closest to the port of theautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse. Bin load unitscomprising components with associated statistical information indicatingthe second highest frequency of use would be loaded into bins a placedor located second closest to the port of the automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse and so forth.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein at least oneof said predetermined rules and said SMT job related informationreceived or retrieved from said SMT database are based on, or provides,user indication data from received user indications.

In one example, the predetermined rule is dependent on user indicationdata. User indication data is received that indicate an operator'spreferred order of components. Bin load units comprising componentsindicated in the user indication data would be loaded into bins a placedor located closest to the port of the automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse in the order indicated in the user indication data.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said predeterminedrules are based on information on frequency of component use in previousSMT jobs.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said predeterminedrules are based on user indication data from received user indications

The automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse may be configured indifferent manners to redistribute bin load units and bins within theautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse. In one embodiment, theautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse is configured with afirst and a second actuator that cooperate when redistributing bin loadunits.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the method ofautomatically redistributing bin load units further comprises:

removing a first bin load unit comprised in a first stored bin by afirst actuator comprised in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse;

move said first actuator to a position of a second stored bin withinsaid automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse

removing a second bin load unit comprised in a second stored bin by asecond actuator comprised in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse;

insert said first bin load unit in said second stored bin by said firstactuator

Bin load units loaded in the same bin may be redistributed within thesame bin, e.g. to optimize the utilization of a bin.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said first stored binand said second stored bin are the same bin

Sometimes the redistribution of bin load units might involve shifting afirst bin load unit to a bin already loaded with a second bin load unitand further shifting said second bin load unit to a third bin.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the method furthercomprises:

move said second actuator to a position of a third stored bin withinsaid automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse

insert said second bin load unit in said third stored bin by said secondactuator

In one embodiment of the invention, the automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse comprises a dedicated redistribution area, where binload units can be redistributed between at least two bins.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the method ofautomatically redistributing bin load units further comprises:

retrieving a first stored bin to an redistribution area within saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse

retrieving a second stored bin to said redistribution area within saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse

In one embodiment of the invention, the automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse comprises a table attached to a first or secondactuator, where bin load units can be redistributed between at least twobins. Typically, two bins would be placed on the table and bin loadunits would be redistributed from the first bin to the second bin andvice versa.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the method ofautomatically redistributing bin load units further comprises:

retrieving a first stored bin to a table attached to an actuatorcomprised in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse

move said actuator to a position of a second stored bin within saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse

To allow flexible scaling of the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse, several SMD warehouse units can be coupled together, so thatbins can be passed from a first SMD warehouse to a second SMD warehouseand bin load units can be passed from a first SMD warehouse to a secondSMD warehouse. Thus, redistribution of bin load units can be obtainedbetween a plurality of automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouses.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, redistributing binload units further comprises bins comprised in a plurality of automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouses

To further enhance the operation of actuators in the automated SMDwarehouse, the bin can be configured with a predetermined gripping areafor the actuator to grip. The bin can further be configured with guiderails for each compartment in the bin, wherein each compartment isadapted to receive a pallet.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said bin is adaptedwith a predetermined gripping area for the actuator to grip and guiderails, wherein said guide rails are adapted to receive a pallet.

To further enhance the operation of actuators in the automated SMDwarehouse, the pallet can be configured with a predetermined grippingarea for the actuator to grip. The pallet can further be configured withguide rails for each compartment in the bin, wherein each compartment isadapted to receive a pallet protrusion disposed on an outer surface ofsaid pallet to engage said guide rail of said bin. The retainingprecision of bin load units loaded in the bin, e.g. when feedingcomponents into a pick and place machine, can be improved by theprotrusions.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said bin load unitsfurther comprises a pallet adapted to comprise a component tape reel,wherein said pallet is adapted with a predetermined gripping area forthe actuator to grip and a protrusion disposed on an outer surface ofsaid pallet to engage said guide rail of said bin

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said bins are adaptedto comprise bin load units, wherein said bin load unit comprises atleast a component tape reel

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, whereinredistributing is performed during idle periods, wherein idle periodscomprises periods when the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse is not occupied with storing or retrieving bins.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed provides an automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse system for optimizing presentationof bin load units at a port comprising:

an actuator, such as a robot or robotic arm, adapted to retrieve orstore bins, pallets or component tape reels at predetermined positionswithin the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based oncontrol data received from a processor,

a memory

a processor, adapted to

to obtain information related to upcoming SMT jobs,

to store or retrieve bin load units at predetermined positions withinsaid automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse by sending controldata to said actuator,

wherein said processor is adapted to further perform the steps of:

automatically redistributing stored bin load units by sending controldata to said actuator based on predetermined rules to optimizepresentation of bin load units at a port of said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse based on information relating to upcoming SMTjobs

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse for redistributing bin load units in anautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse, where said automated SMDwarehouse is configured to obtain information related to upcoming SMTjobs from an SMT database, comprising:

a first actuator, such as a robot or robotic arm, configured toautomatically redistributing stored bin load units in said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based on at least one of SMT jobrelated information obtained from said SMT database and predeterminedrules for optimizing presentation of bin load units at a port of saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse, wherein said SMT jobrelated information is received or retrieved by a processor and storedto a memory comprised in said Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse, further comprising a second actuator, suchas a robot or robotic arm, configured to automatically redistributingstored bin load units in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse based on at least one of said SMT job related information andsaid predetermined rules.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse, further comprising a redistribution areawithin said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse, further comprising a table attached tosaid first actuator or a second actuator comprised in said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse, wherein said first or second actuator isconfigured to receive control data based on at least one of saidpredetermined rules to optimize presentation of bin load units at a portof said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and saidinformation obtained from an SMT database.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said storedbin load units are comprised in individual stored pallets.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said storedbin load units are comprised in one or more stored bins.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse system for optimizing presentation of binload units at a port comprising:

an actuator, such as a robot or robotic arm, configured to retrieve orstore bins, pallets or component tape reels at predetermined positionswithin the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based oncontrol data received from a processor,

a memory

a processor, adapted to

to obtain information related to upcoming SMT jobs,

to store or retrieve bin load units at predetermined positions withinsaid automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse by sending controldata to said actuator,

wherein said processor is adapted to further control the steps of:

automatically redistributing stored bin load units by sending controldata to said actuator based on at least one of predetermined rules tooptimize presentation of bin load units at a port of said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and information received orretrieved from an SMT database.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said processor insaid automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse adapted to furtherperform the method steps of described herein

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a computer programproduct is provided for optimizing presentation of bin load units at aport comprising computer readable code configured to, when executed in aprocessor, perform any or all of the method steps described herein.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a non-transitorycomputer readable memory is provided on which is stored computerreadable code configured to optimizing presentation of bin load units ata port and to, when executed in a processor, perform any or all of themethod steps described herein.

IDENTIFYING A BIN IN AN SMT SYSTEM When an operator is returning a binto the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse there is a need todetermine the bin load units comprised in a bin by scanning a bin ID andretrieving the associated bin load units ID, such as pallet ID,component tape reel ID and SMT feeder ID, from an SMT informationdatabase.

When an operator is retrieving a bin from the automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse there is a need to associate a bin ID with thecomprised bin load units ID's, such as pallet ID, component tape reel IDand SMT feeder ID, by scanning a bin ID and storing the associated binload units ID's, such as pallet ID, component tape reel ID and SMTfeeder ID, to an SMT information database.

In one or more aspect of the technology disclosed, a method in anautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse configured to store binsat predetermined positions within said automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse, the method comprising:

receiving a bin at a port of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse;

scanning an identity tag attached to said bin to obtain a bin ID.

In one or more aspect of the technology disclosed, the method furthercomprising:

storing said bin at a position within said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse;

In one or more aspect of the technology disclosed, the method furthercomprising:

storing said position and said bin ID in a memory of said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

In one or more aspect of the technology disclosed describes a method inan automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse adapted to obtaininformation related to upcoming SMT jobs, to store bins at predeterminedpositions within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse,the method comprising:

receiving a bin at a port of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse;

scanning an identity tag attached to said bin to obtain a bin ID

storing said bin at a position within said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse;

storing said position and said bin ID

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the method furthercomprising:

presenting said retrieved bin at a port of said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said bins are adaptedto comprise bin load units, wherein said bin load unit comprises atleast a component tape reel

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, storing said positionand said bin ID further comprises storing said position and said bin IDrepresented as parameters, such as a table, in a memory of saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, storing said positionand said bin ID further comprises storing said position and said bin IDrepresented as parameters in an SMT information database via acommunications network.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed describes a method inan automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse adapted to obtaininformation related to upcoming SMT jobs, to retrieve bins atpredetermined positions within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse, the method comprising:

retrieving said bin at a position within said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse;

scanning an identity tag attached to said bin to obtain a bin ID

presenting said retrieved bin at a port of said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse

storing said position and said bin ID

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein storing isperformed to a memory of said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said bins are adaptedto comprise bin load units, wherein said bin load unit comprises atleast a component tape reel

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, storing said positionand said bin ID further comprises storing said position and said bin IDrepresented as parameters in a memory of said automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, storing said positionand said bin ID further comprises storing said position and said bin IDrepresented as parameters in an SMT information database via acommunications network.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a bin in a SMT systemis adapted to be stored in an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse system, said bin comprising:

an identity tag attached to said bin in a predetermined position therebyenabling an actuator comprised in said surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse to scan said identity tag

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse system is comprising:

an actuator, such as a robot or robotic arm, adapted to retrieve orstore bins, pallets or component tape reels at predetermined positionswithin the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based oncontrol data received from a processor,

a memory

a processor, adapted to

to obtain information related to upcoming SMT jobs,

wherein said processor in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse adapted to perform the method steps described herein

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse system comprising:

an actuator, such as a robot or robotic arm, adapted to retrieve orstore bins, pallets or component tape reels at predetermined positionswithin the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based oncontrol data received from a processor,

a memory

a processor, adapted to

to obtain information related to upcoming SMT jobs,

wherein said processor in said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse adapted to perform the method steps described herein.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a computer programproduct comprising computer readable code configured to, when executedin a processor, perform any or all of the method steps of claims 1-5

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a non-transitorycomputer readable memory on which is stored computer readable codeconfigured to, when executed in a processor, perform any or all of themethod steps described herein

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a computer programproduct comprising computer readable code configured to, when executedin a processor, perform any or all of the method steps of claims 6-9

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a non-transitorycomputer readable memory on which is stored computer readable codeconfigured to, when executed in a processor, perform any or all of themethod steps described herein

PALLETS IN AN SMT SYSTEM When handling of pallets in an SMT system thereis a need to ensure that a component tape reel comprised in a palleddoes not fall out at the same time as an identity tag attached to thecomponent tape reel may be scanned by an operator or actuator inautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse. In order for theprocessor in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse tomaintain knowledge of the contents of stored bins the identities ofcomponent tape reels comprised in the bins are determined.

In one or more aspect of the technology discloses a method in a SurfaceMount Technology (SMT) system for a pallet, wherein said pallet isconfigured with an attached identity tag in a predetermined position,wherein said pallet is adapted to comprise a component tape reel, themethod comprising:

gripping said bin load unit comprised in a bin; and;

scanning said identity tag;

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein gripping andscanning is performed by an actuator comprised in an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein gripping andscanning is performed by an operator of the SMT system

A problem when handling component tape reels in an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse and in a pick and place machine is that thecomponent tape reels vary in size and therefore requires differentreceptacle arrangements for different reel sizes. This may be solved byusing a pallet configured to handle varying component tape reel sizes.Yet another problem is that the identity label of a component tape reelcomprised in a pallet may be difficult or even impossible to scan. Yetanother problem identified by the inventors is to retain or comprise acomponent tape reel in a pallet, while the reel can freely rotate.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a pallet for use in aSurface Mount Technology (SMT) system, said pallet is comprising abackplane structure adapted to provide support to a component tape reel,said pallet is further adapted to hold or carry a component tape reel byproviding a component tape reel retainer structure for keeping orretaining the component tape reel attached to, or contained in, thepallet, said pallet is further configured to provide an opening forenabling the scanning of a barcode on a component tape reel that isattached to, or contained in, the pallet.

A component tape reel is used together with an SMT feeder, when used inoperation or production of an SMT pick and place machine. In the presentinvention, the component tape on a component tape reel is typicallythreaded in an SMT feeder and the component tape reel identity isassociated to the SMT feeder identity in the SMT information database.Handling of components in an SMT system can therefore be improved bystoring the component tape reel together with the SMT feeder inautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse, in particular handlingof both in pallets in an SMT system.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said pallet isfurther adapted to comprise an SMT feeder for guiding the component tapeof a component tape reel attached to, or contained in said pallet to thepicking position of a SMT pick-and-place machine.

As an identity tag attached to the component tape reel can be scanned, aretaining arrangement is required.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said component tapereel structure is further configured to provide retaining support in a Zaxis (normal) direction on at least one of a peripheral or close to thecenter of a component tape reel, and wherein said opening is an openingin said component tape reel retainer structure that is adapted to allowthe scanning of an identity tag (arbitrarily placed) barcode on the sideof a component tape reel attached to, or contained in, the palletwithout blocking the scanning light beam of an pallet-external barcodescanner.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said component tapereel retainer structure is configured to provide support to a componenttape reel contained in the pallet in a Z axis direction opposite thebackplane, thereby enabling the pallet to retain a component tape reelattached to, or contained in, the pallet without pallet-external supportto the reel when the pallet is positioned in a vertical upright positionor upside down with the backside of the backplane facing up.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said component tapereel retainer structure is providing a structure configured to allow acomponent tape reel to (freely) rotate while being attached to, orcontained in, said pallet.

When handling the component tape reel, a common problem is to avoid thatthe component tape unwinds from the component tape reel, which leads tounwanted delays in the production of SMT production units in the SMTpick and place machine.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said component tapereel retainer structure is further providing a structure for retaining acomponent tape reel in a radial direction and within an essentiallyfixed volume within said pallet when the component tape reel is rotatingwhile being contained in said pallet.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said component tapereel retainer structure is comprising at least one of a nave and areel-peripheral support structure oriented to provide support to acomponent tape reel at the, or close to, the periphery of a componenttaper reel attached to, or contained in, said pallet, and wherein saidat least one of a nave and a reel-peripheral support structure isconfigured to provide retaining support for holding a component taperreel while not blocking the scanning of a barcode on the component tapereel attached to, or contained in, said pallet.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, said at least one ofnave and reel-peripheral support structure is adapted to retain acomponent tape reel in at least one of a Z axis (normal) or radialdirection.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein the pallet isadapted to prevent radial movement of a component taper reel attachedto, or contained in, the pallet by providing holding support for keepingthe center point of the component tape reel that is rotating within saidpallet at a fixed, or essentially fixed, position also when thecomponent tape reel is rotating within said pallet.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the pallet isproviding component tape reel structure comprising an X axis componenttape reel retainer, a Y axis component tape reel retainer and a Z axiscomponent tape reel retainer, wherein said X, Y, Z axis retainers areadapted to allow said component tape reel to rotate within said pallet.

In one or more aspects of the technology disclosed, a Surface MountTechnology (SMT) system for a pallet, wherein said pallet is configuredwith an attached identity tag in a predetermined position, wherein saidpallet is adapted to comprise a component tape reel, the system adaptedto perform the method steps described herein.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a computer programproduct comprising computer readable code is configured to, whenexecuted in a processor, perform any or all of the method stepsdescribed herein

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a non-transitorycomputer readable memory on which is stored computer readable code isconfigured to, when executed in a processor, perform any or all of themethod steps described herein

Identifying a Pallet in an SMT System

There is a need to be able to scan identity tags of pallets comprised ina bin in an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse as well aswhen inserted in an SMT pick and place machine. This enables automaticscanning of a plurality of pallets comprised in a bin when returning thebin to an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse. This alsoenables manual operator scanning of a plurality of pallets comprised ina bin inserted in an SMT pick and place machine.

In one or more aspect of the technology disclosed a method in a SurfaceMount Technology (SMT) system for scanning of a plurality of palletscomprising an identity tag scanner and an SMT information database,wherein said pallet is comprised in and vertically oriented in a bin,wherein said pallet has an pallet identity tag attached to the palletsupwards facing surface, the system configured to perform the steps of:

scanning individual identity tags attached to pallets comprised in saidbin to obtain pallet ID's

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein a pallet ofsaid pallets are comprising at least a component tape reel

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein scanning isperformed by an actuator comprised in an automated Surface Mount Device(SMD) warehouse

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a method in a SurfaceMount Technology (SMT) system for scanning of a plurality of palletscomprising an identity tag scanner and an SMT information database,wherein said pallet is comprised in and vertically oriented in a bin,wherein said pallet has an pallet identity tag attached to the palletsupwards facing surface, the system configured to perform the steps of:

scanning individual identity tags attached to pallets comprised in saidbin to obtain pallet ID's

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein a pallet ofsaid pallets are comprising at least a component tape reel

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein scanning isperformed by an operator of the SMT system

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a pallet for use in aSurface Mount Technology (SMT) system, said pallet is comprising abackplane structure adapted to provide support to a component tape reelattached to, or contained in, said pallet, wherein said pallet isfurther adapted to hold or carry a component tape reel by providing acomponent tape reel retainer structure for keeping or retaining thecomponent tape reel attached to, or contained in, the pallet, whereinsaid pallet is configured with an attached identity tag (in form of abarcode) associating said pallet with an identity, wherein said palletis adapted to comprise a component tape reel.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said palletidentity tag is attached to the pallets upwards facing surface when thesaid pallet is comprised in and vertically oriented in a bin.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein Pallet-ID isa tag in a predetermined (well-defined) position known to a barcodescanner/reading unit.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein Pallet-ID isa tag configured to be scanned from above, known to a barcode scannerand/or robot in a SMT Warehouse

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein Pallet-ID isa tag that may be easily scanned by an operator when placed in apick-and-place machine

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said palletis further configured to provide an opening for enabling the scanning ofa barcode on a component tape reel that is attached to, or contained in,the pallet.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said palletis further adapted to comprise an SMT feeder for guiding the componenttape of a component tape reel attached to, or contained in said palletto the picking position of a SMT pick-and-place machine.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a computer programproduct comprising computer readable code configured to, when executedin a processor, perform any or all of the method steps described herein

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a non-transitorycomputer readable memory on which is stored computer readable codeconfigured to, when executed in a processor, perform any or all of themethod steps described herein

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a computer programproduct comprising computer readable code configured to, when executedin a processor, perform any or all of the method steps described herein

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a non-transitorycomputer readable memory on which is stored computer readable codeconfigured to, when executed in a processor, perform any or all of themethod steps described herein

Preventing Unwinding of a Component Tape Reel

When a pallet is removed from an SMT pick and place machine thecomponent tape might unwind resulting in complicated handling and manualre-winding of the component tape. It is therefore a need to preventunwinding of a component tape reel.

In one or more embodiments, a method in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT)system for starting SMT production, wherein said SMT system comprises apallet and an SMT pick and place machine, wherein said pallet is furtheradapted to hold or carry a component tape reel by providing a componenttape reel retainer structure for keeping or retaining the component tapereel attached to, or contained in, the pallet, wherein said pallet iscomprised in and vertically oriented in a bin, the method comprising:

placing a component tape reel in said pallet; and;

starting SMT production of SMT production units in said SMT pick andplace machine, wherein starting SMT production at least comprisesinitiating feeding components from said component tape reel to the SMTpick and place machine.

IN one or more aspect of the technology disclosed, a method in a SurfaceMount Technology (SMT) system for preventing unwinding of a componenttape comprised on a component tape reel, wherein said SMT systemcomprises a pallet and an SMT pick and place machine, wherein saidpallet is further adapted to hold or carry a component tape reel byproviding a component tape reel retainer structure for keeping orretaining the component tape reel attached to, or contained in, thepallet the method comprising:

engaging a friction break upon removal of said palette from said SMTpick and place machine, hereby preventing unwinding of the tape, e.g.when the reel is no longer feeding components to a pick-and-placemachine

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a pallet for use in aSurface Mount Technology (SMT) system, said pallet is comprising abackplane structure adapted to provide support to a component tape reelattached to, or contained in, said pallet, wherein said pallet isfurther adapted to hold or carry a component tape reel by providing acomponent tape reel retainer structure for keeping or retaining thecomponent tape reel attached to, or contained in, the pallet, saidcomponent tape reel retainer structure is comprising at least one of anave and a reel-peripheral support structure, said reel-peripheralsupport structure is adapted to provide support to a component tape reelat the, or close to, the periphery of a component taper reel attachedto, or contained in, said pallet.

In one or more embodiments, wherein the pallet 1810 further comprising abackplane 1811 and a component tape reel retainer structure in the shapeof a box, wherein said box is configured with a bottom 18121, and fourside walls 18122 and a slit 1840 configured to allow a component tape ona comprised component tape reel 1820 protrude through the slit.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said Z axiscomponent tape reel retainer is adapted with a friction brake, therebypreventing unwinding of the tape, e.g. when the reel is no longerfeeding components to a pick-and-place machine.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said Z axiscomponent tape reel retainer is adapted with a friction brake, therebypreventing unwinding of the tape, e.g. when the reel is no longerfeeding components to a pick-and-place machine.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said Z axiscomponent tape reel retainer is adapted with a friction brake, therebypreventing unwinding of the tape, e.g. when the reel is no longerfeeding components to a pick-and-place machine.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said anX-axis component tape reel retainer or a Y-axis component tape reelretainer is adapted with a spring and a seat located in the oppositeside of said component tape reel, wherein said spring is biasing saidcomponent tape reel against said seat.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the pallet is furtherconfigured to provide an opening for enabling the scanning of a barcodeon a component tape reel that is attached to, or contained in, thepallet.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, the pallet is furtheradapted to comprise an SMT feeder for guiding the component tape of acomponent tape reel attached to, or contained in said pallet to thepicking position of a SMT pick-and-place machine.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein saidcomponent tape reel structure is further configured to provide retainingsupport in a Z axis (normal) direction on at least one of a peripheralor close to the center of a component tape reel, and wherein saidopening is an opening in said component tape reel retainer structurethat is adapted to allow the scanning of an identity tag (arbitrarilyplaced) barcode on the side of a component tape reel attached to, orcontained in, the pallet without blocking the scanning light beam of anpallet-external barcode scanner.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein saidcomponent tape reel retainer structure is configured to provide supportto a component tape reel contained in the pallet in a Z axis directionopposite the backplane, thereby enabling the pallet to retain acomponent tape reel attached to, or contained in, the pallet withoutpallet-external support to the reel when the pallet is positioned in avertical upright position or upside down with the backside of thebackplane facing up.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein saidcomponent tape reel retainer structure is providing a structureconfigured to allow a component tape reel to (freely) rotate while beingattached to, or contained in, said pallet.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein saidcomponent tape reel retainer structure is further providing a structurefor retaining a component tape reel in a radial direction and within anessentially fixed volume within said pallet when the component tape reelis rotating while being contained in said pallet.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein saidcomponent tape reel retainer structure is comprising at least one of anave and a reel-peripheral support structure oriented to provide supportto a component tape reel at the, or close to, the periphery of acomponent taper reel attached to, or contained in, said pallet, andwherein said at least one of a nave and a reel-peripheral supportstructure is configured to provide retaining support for holding acomponent taper reel while not blocking the scanning of a barcode on thecomponent tape reel attached to, or contained in, said pallet.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein said at leastone of nave and reel-peripheral support structure is adapted to retain acomponent tape reel in at least one of a Z axis (normal) or radialdirection.

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein the pallet isadapted to prevent radial movement of a component taper reel attachedto, or contained in, the pallet by providing holding support for keepingthe center point of the component tape reel that is rotating within saidpallet at a fixed, or essentially fixed, position also when thecomponent tape reel is rotating within said pallet

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, wherein the pallet isproviding component tape reel structure comprising an X axis componenttape reel retainer, a Y axis component tape reel retainer and a Z axiscomponent tape reel retainer, wherein said X, Y, Z axis retainers areadapted to allow said component tape reel to rotate within said pallet

In yet another aspect of the technology disclosed, a Surface MountTechnology (SMT) pallet for preventing unwinding of a component tapecomprised on a component tape reel, wherein said SMT system comprises apallet and an SMT pick and place machine, wherein said pallet is furtheradapted to hold or carry a component tape reel by providing a componenttape reel retainer structure for keeping or retaining the component tapereel attached to, or contained in, the pallet adapted to perform thestep:

engaging a friction break upon removal of said palette from said SMTpick and place machine, hereby preventing unwinding of the tape, e.g.when the reel is no longer feeding components to a pick-and-placemachine.

Common

As one of the key features of the invention is that pre-loaded bins areprovided at the port of the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse according to information relating to an upcoming SMT job

FIG. 4 shows an aspect of the technology disclosed of a method in aSurface Mount Technology (SMT) system comprising an automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse 93, an SMT information database and a SMTpick and place machine 91, the method comprising:

receiving input data;

retrieving a bin based on said input data and a parameter representing aposition within said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse,wherein said bin 410 is adapted to comprise bin load units 420, whereinsaid bin load unit comprises at least a component tape reel.

presenting said retrieved bin at a port 97 of said automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse;

load said bin 410 in said SMT pick and place machine 91

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of pre-loaded bins 510, e.g. pre-loadedbased on component requirements of an upcoming SMT job, being insertedor loaded into component feeding positions 520, 530 and 540 of the pickand place machine 550.

To pre-load the bins to optimize or prepare for presentation at a portof the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse based on upcomingSMT jobs, thereby make sure the components required for production of anSMT production unit is present when the bin is presented, the bin loadunits are redistributed within the same bin or between two or moredifferent bins. The advantage is that bins can be pre-loaded forupcoming SMT jobs, the retrieval time in the tower can be reduced byplacing bins required for the next upcoming SMT job close to the portand certain components can be distributed in different automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouses.

In some embodiments, the bins might comprise pallets that in turncomprise component tape reels and optionally a matching SMT feeder.

In some aspect of the technology disclosed the bin might be adapted withan alphanumerical display controller that is adapted to receive displaydata by wired or wireless communication, wherein the data might berelating to an upcoming SMT job and displayed to the operator, e.g. theposition at the pick and place machine where the bin should be inserted,time or date, the number of remaining components remaining in the bin,an alert to replace the bin or manually refill the bin with bin loadunits or other alarm conditions relating to production of SMT productionunits.

The information, e.g. component requirements, used to pre-load bins andpresenting bins at a port of the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse might be entered by the operator via a input/output devicecomprised in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse orobtained from the SMT information database, either actively retrieved byrequest/reply or pushed from the SMT information database or other nodeconnected to the communication network.

When the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse receives a binthe processor comprised in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse stores the position where the bin is stored to a memory, e.g.comprised in automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse.

The automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse comprises one orseveral actuators, such as a robot, robot arm or other actuator, aswould be understood by a person skilled in the art, that are able toredistribute bins or bin load units within the automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouse or between connected automated Surface MountDevice (SMD) warehouses.

In some aspect of the technology, disclosed bins might be brought to adesignated intermediate redistribution area where bin load units mightbe redistributed within or between two or more bins.

In some aspect of the technology disclosed more than one actuator mightbe comprised in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse,thereby enabling insertion in fully loaded bins, e.g. by first removinga first bin load unit with a first actuator and fill the empty positionin the same bin with another bin unit by a second actuator, much similarhow a human being would redistribute bin load units between bins.Obviously, the process might involve one two or several bins until theredistribution is complete.

FIG. 8a shows an example of a pallet 810.

FIG. 8b shows an example of a pallet 810 comprising a component tapereel 830 and an SMT feeder 820.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a pallet, wherein said pallet is adapted tocomprise a backplane and, an X axis component tape reel retainer and a Yaxis component tape reel retainer wherein said X, Y axis retainers areadapted to allow said component tape reel to rotate. The retainersrestricts movement of a comprised component tape reel along the X axisand Y axis

FIG. 10a shows an example of a pallet, wherein said pallet is adapted tocomprise a backplane 1010, a combined reel-peripheral support structurein the form of an X axis component tape reel retainer 1020, a Y axiscomponent tape reel retainer 1020 and a Z axis component tape reelretainer 1020, wherein said X, Y, Z axis retainers are adapted to allowsaid component tape reel rotate. The retainers restrict movement of acomprised component tape reel along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis.

FIG. 10b shows yet an example embodiment of the invention, wherein saidZ-axis component tape reel retainer comprises a backplane and a nave orcentral Z-axis component tape reel retainer 1030. In yet another aspectof the technology disclosed said Z-axis component tape reel retainercomprises a backplane and a central Z-axis component tape reel retainer.

FIGS. 12a and 12b shows schematically how in an embodiment bin loadingunits, denoted by letters A-D in the figure, are redistributed betweentwo or more stored bins in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD)warehouse, e.g. based on component requirements of upcoming SMT jobs. Inone example FIG. 12b illustrates how bins 1220-1250 are pre-loaded basedon the component requirements of upcoming SMT jobs, e.g. job A, job B,job C and job D.

FIG. 13a and FIG. 13b shows schematically how bin loading units may beredistributed between two or more stored bins in the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse, e.g. by being brought to a designatedintermediate redistribution area where bin load units might beredistributed. The actuator or robotic arm of the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse grips a load unit in a first bin and movesto a compartment in a second bin, illustrated by the image sequence1310-1370.

FIGS. 14a and 14b shows schematically how bins may be redistributedbetween positions in the automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehousebased on component requirements of upcoming SMT jobs. In one example, aSMT job list or sequence of job D, job a, job C and job D are to beperformed and by redistributing the bins the retrieval time for the binpre-loaded for SMT job D can be reduced as the distance to the port isreduced.

FIGS. 16a and 16b shows schematically how bin load units isautomatically redistributed between positions in the automated SurfaceMount Device (SMD) warehouse using a table 1630. A first stored bin 1610is retrieved to a table attached to an actuator comprised in saidautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse and said actuator ismoved to a position of a second stored bin 1620 within said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse. In yet an embodiment the secondbin 1620 is retrieved to the table 1630. In yet another embodiment, binload units is automatically redistributed between positions in theautomated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse using a table byredistributing bin load units from said first bin 1610 to said secondbin 1620.

FIG. 17a shows an embodiment of the invention, wherein a bin 1710 isconfigured with an alphanumerical display 120 with an integratedalphanumerical display controller and an identity tag attached 1730 tosaid bin such that a bin ID can be obtained. IN one example, thisidentity tag is a bar code.

FIG. 17b shows yet an embodiment of the invention, wherein a bin 1710 isconfigured with an alphanumerical display 120 with an integratedalphanumerical display controller, wherein display data comprises a binID, wherein said bin ID is presented as a bar code, QR code or the like.Thus, the alphanumerical display 120 will function as well as anidentity tag of the bin. In one or more embodiment the communicationsnetwork ID of the alphanumerical display 120, used to send data to andreceive data from the alphanumerical display controller, is identical tothe bin ID.

FIG. 18 shows an embodiment of a pallet 1810, wherein the pallet 1810comprises a backplane 1811 and a component tape reel retainer structurein the shape of a box, wherein said box is configured with a bottom18121, and four side walls 18122 and a slit 1840 configured to allow acomponent tape on a comprised component tape reel 1820 protrude throughthe slit. In one or more embodiment, the pallet further comprises afriction break configured to engage upon removal of said palette fromsaid SMT pick and place machine, hereby preventing unwinding of the tapewhen the reel is no longer feeding components to a pick-and-placemachine.

Use Case Embodiments

The inventors have realized that with the rising complexity of SMTproduction comes a greater need for quality data. High part numbercount, a wide variety of boards, and an ever-changing productionsschedule are constant challenges that require improved system supportand control of information handling. Through embodiments presentedherein, there is achieved efficiency and service level from a customeror operator point of view, in the performing any or all of the steps ofplanning, associating, loading, replenishing and/or unloading as part ofan SMT production process.

FIGS. 19a-d show schematically how planning, associating, loading,replenishment and unloading may be performed in accordance with a usecase example of a typical workflow in a SMT system.

A planning user starts the workflow by planning an SMT job to beexecuted and stores said SMT job in an SMT information database. In ause case example referring to FIG. 19a , a planning operator uses an SMTplanning tool, e.g. a graphical user interface of a computer programthat is adapted to help the user optimize the job sequence andchangeover strategy for incoming orders to plan an SMT job. The outcomeof the planning is typically a bill of materials 1910, in thisdisclosure also referred to as SMT job data. The bill of material/SMTjob data is sent to the automated SMD warehouse 1912, for examplecorresponding to any of the SMD warehouse 93, 200 of the attachedfigures. In response to receiveing the bill of materials/SMT job data,the automated SMD warehouse automatically delivers bin load units 1914,e.g. in the form of any of the bin load units 420, 620, 630, 640, 650,720 of the attached figures. In this use case example, the bin loadunits 1914 are in the form of component tape reels. Typically, the binload units delivered from the automated SMD warehouse are already in thecorrect order for loading into bins. An SMT operator, i.e. a human beingor alternatively a robot, then retrieves the bin load units that aredelivered from said automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse, andpossibly also substrates from separate storage or from said automatedSurface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse. In the use case example, the SMToperator retrieves component tape reels from the automated SMD warehouse1912 and prepares the component tape reels for loading into the pick andplace machine 1924. In order to be able to trace the component tapereels, the preparations include a step of associating the ID of eachcomponent tape reel with the ID of a feeder 1919. The SMT operatorperforms this association by scanning each component tape reel and acorresponding feeder using an identity tag scanner 1918. Throughscanning of the unique IDs, the SMT system records the movement of thescanned components. Thereby, components are automatically traced. Whenthe bin load units have been associated with the feeders, the SMToperator places the one or more associated component pairs into a bin1920. The bin may e.g. correspond to any of the bins 410, 510, 610 or710 of the attached figures. When a bin is ready, the SMT operatorplaces/loads it in the pick and place machine 1924. The pick and placemachine may correspond to any of the pick and place machines 91, 550 ofthe attached figures.

In order for the pick and place machine to know which settings are to beused, SMT job data from the planning step is provided to the pick andplace machine, either directly from the planning tool or by the SMToperator scanning the bar code of a work order 1922, using a scanner1918, comprising the required information/SMT job data. This isillustrated in FIG. 19b . Based on the input SMT job data, machineprograms are selected automatically, as are conveyor width andloader/unloader settings. In other words, loading into the pick andplace machine is fast and easy for the SMT operator as it requires nomanual data entry—just one or two scans of bar codes or otheridentifiers. As soon as the line is up and running, the SMT operator isfree to start preparing the next SMT job. Also, as all bins and feedersare given a unique ID, the SMT operator can check quantity, location,MSD data and batch codes, for a single component or a complete componentlist for an SMT job, at any point during production.

If, at any time, components are about to run out, the machine alerts theoperator, re-optimizes and continues mounting other components. The SMToperator that notices such an alert may e.g. press a “provide” button orthe like, whereby the SMD warehouse 1912 immediately delivers therequested component/components 1914 for the SMT operator to retrieve,associate and load into the pick and place machine 1924 to replenish themachine. This is illustrated in FIG. 19c . Advanced SMT system of today,such as the system embodiments described herein, may also have aplug-and-play simplicity, which means that the SMT operator can load andunload bins in seconds, saving countless hours of operator time.Specially designed software automatically recognizes the presence,absence and location of components, which means that there is no need toprogram pick positions and production doesn't stop if a bin has runs outof parts.

As illustrated in FIG. 19d , when an SMT job is done, or when the workday ends, the SMT operator unloads the bins 1920 from the pick and placemachine, removes the component tape reels 1914 from the bin and placesthem back into an SMD warehouse 1912, that can be the same as the onefrom where the components where retrieved or a different one. As eachcomponent has its one identifier, the system keeps track of thecomponents and mix-ups are avoided.

Embodiments of the invention may improve parts or all of the SMTproduction workflow, as further described herein.

Advantages of the Invention

The present invention relates to handling of components in an SMTsystem, and provides information regarding an SMT job to an SMT systemoperator, thereby providing reduced probability of insertingnon-required components in an SMT pick and place machine and improvedpreparations of refill of components in a SMT pick and place machine.

Itemized List of Embodiments

An embodiment 1 including a method for providing operator information inan Surface Mount Technology (SMT) system comprising an SMT informationdatabase, a SMT pick and place machine where SMT production have beenstarted and an identity tag scanner, wherein started SMT production atleast comprises feeding components from a bin load unit to the SMT pickand place machine, the method comprising:

-   -   receiving a bin or trolley in said SMT pick and place machine,        wherein said bin or trolley is adapted to comprise vertically        oriented bin load units, and wherein said bin load unit has an        bin load unit identity tag attached to the bin load unit upwards        facing surface; and    -   scanning individual identity tags attached to pallets comprising        component tape reels in order to obtain pallet IDs.

An embodiment 2 including the method of embodiment 1, wherein said binload units are comprised in pallets.

An embodiment 3 including a method for providing operator information inan Surface Mount Technology (SMT) system comprising an SMT informationdatabase and a SMT pick and place machine, the method comprising:

-   -   receiving a bin or trolley in said SMT pick and place machine,        wherein said bin or trolley comprises an alphanumerical display        controller unit and a alphanumerical display;    -   receiving display data relating to an SMT job via a        communications network; and

presenting said display data on said alphanumerical display.

An embodiment 4 including the method of embodiment 3, wherein said stepsof receiving and presenting display data are performed when SMTproduction has started and simultaneously or concurrently with thefeeding of components from at least one bin load unit or component tapereel comprised in said bin or trolley, to the pick-up position/area ofsaid SMT pick and place machine.

An embodiment 5, including any of the methods of the embodiments 3 or 4,wherein said display data is received via a communications networkseparate from the network providing the pick and place machine withinformation from the SMT information database.

An embodiment 6 including any of the methods of the above embodiments 3to 5, wherein said display data is relating to an SMT job retrieved fromsaid SMT information database.

An embodiment 7, including any of the methods of the above embodiments 3to 5, wherein said bin or trolley has a bin/trolley identity tag in theform of a bar code attached to the bins/trolleys forward facing surfacesuch that the surface is facing an operator.

An embodiment 8 including any of the methods of the above embodiments 3to 5, wherein said communications network is an infrared network or awireless local area network (WLAN).

An embodiment 9 including any of the methods of the above embodiments 3to 5, wherein the method further comprises sending said displayinformation to an IR based system.

An embodiment 10 including any of the methods of the above embodiments 1to 5, wherein said display data comprises a selection of SMT job ID,predetermined component feeder position in the SMT pick and placemachine, component type and remaining number of components on acomponent tape reel comprised in said bin or trolley.

An embodiment 11, including the methods of the above embodiment 1,wherein said display data is pushed down from a separate system.

An embodiment 12 including a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) system forproviding operator information comprising:

-   -   an SMT information database,    -   a SMT pick and place machine; and    -   an identity tag scanner,    -   wherein said system is adapted to    -   receiving a bin or trolley in said SMT pick and place machine,        wherein said bin or trolley is adapted to comprise vertically        oriented bin load units, wherein said bin load units has an bin        load units identity tag attached to the bin load units upwards        facing surface.

An embodiment 13 including a bin or trolley in a Surface MountTechnology (SMT) system for providing operator information in an SurfaceMount Technology (SMT) system comprising an SMT information database anda SMT pick and place machine, wherein said bin is adapted to be receivedin a SMT pick and place machine operating in a started SMT production,the bin or trolley comprising:

-   -   an alphanumerical display controller unit and an alphanumerical        display, wherein said controller is configured to:    -   receiving display data relating to an SMT job pushed down from a        separate system via a communications network; and    -   presenting said display data on said alphanumerical display

1.-13. (canceled)
 14. A method for providing operator information in anSurface Mount Technology (SMT) system comprising an SMT informationdatabase and a SMT pick and place machine, the method comprising:receiving a bin, said bin is comprising a plurality of slots orcompartments each configured for carrying/holding a bin load unit eachcomprising or constituting a component tape reel, wherein said bincomprises an alphanumerical display controller unit and a alphanumericaldisplay; scanning barcode(s) or RFID tag(s) attached to the bin or binload units to thereby recognize and register the bin load units placedin the bin; communicating data representing the identities of said binload units placed in the bin via a communications network to the SMTinformation database so that information on the content of the bin to isavailable in the SMT information database; receiving, from said SMTinformation database via a communications network, display data relatingto an SMT job; and presenting said display data on said alphanumericaldisplay.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said steps of receiving andpresenting display data are performed when SMT production has startedand simultaneously or concurrently with the feeding of components fromat least one bin load unit or component tape reel comprised in said binor trolley, to the pick-up position/area of said SMT pick and placemachine.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein said display data isreceived via a communications network separate from the networkproviding the pick and place machine with information from the SMTinformation database.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein said bin has abin identity tag in the form of a bar code attached to the bin's forwardfacing surface such that the surface is facing an operator.
 18. Themethod of claim 14, wherein said communications network is an infrarednetwork or a wireless local area network (WLAN).
 19. The method of claim14, wherein the method further comprises sending said displayinformation to an IR based system.
 20. The method of claim 14, whereinsaid display data comprises a selection of SMT job ID, predeterminedcomponent feeder position in the SMT pick and place machine, componenttype and remaining number of components on a component tape reelcomprised in said bin or trolley.
 21. The method of claim 14, whereinsaid display data is pushed down from a separate system.
 22. A binconfigured to be used in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) systemcomprising an SMT information database and a SMT pick and place machine,wherein said bin is adapted to be received in a SMT pick and placemachine operating in a started SMT production, the bin comprising: analphanumerical display controller unit and an alphanumerical display,wherein said controller is configured to: recognizing bin load unitsplaced in the bin by registering scanned barcodes or RFID tags;communicating, via a communications network, data representing theidentities of said bin load units placed in the bin to the SMTinformation database so that information on the content of the bin isavailable in the SMT information database; receiving, from the SMTinformation database via a communications network, display data relatingto an SMT job; and presenting said display data on said alphanumericaldisplay.